The Fellowships, funded by The Kresge Foundation and each consisting of a $25,000 prize and professional practice opportunities, are awarded annually to metropolitan Detroit artists for their exceptional commitment to artistic achievement and strong contributions to their respective communities.

To be awarded a Kresge Fellowship and acknowledged by a panel of such extraordinary talent is a high honor that is not lost on Tracy. “To be recognized by your peers is a great moment in one's life—but to be recognized by such accomplished artists is even more rewarding,” she said.

This year’s panelists—including Grammy Award-nominated composer Carl Craig and Academy Award-winning director and producer Sue Marx—noted the difficulty they faced in selecting 18 Fellows from among hundreds of extraordinary applicants in Dance/Music and Film/Theatre. The distinguished panelists for both categories commented repeatedly on the scale, scope and caliber of creative work represented in the applications.

This is the first time Tracy has applied for a Kresge Fellowship, but her oeuvre speaks for itself. In addition to producing and choreographing a sold-out performance of Intersections at the Rabbit Hole in Detroit, she has been the rehearsal director for works choreographed by Peter Sparling and Artistic Director of Peter Sparling Dance Company, amongst others. She has also choreographed works for Illinois Ballet Theater, the University of Michigan’s Department of Dance, Noretta Dunworth School of Dance, The Academy Dance Alliance, and Dance Masters of Michigan. Tracy holds a B.F.A. in Dance Performance from Marygrove College and an M.F.A. in Choreography from the University of Michigan.

Although Fellowship recipients were just announced, Tracy already has extensive plans for how she will use her Fellowship to impact the community. “I am planning on collaborating with other dance artists and musicians and will have several new performances in the city of Detroit throughout the next year.”